Dispenser with retractable comic panel

ABSTRACT

A dispenser with a comic panel attached to it that can be viewed and stored. The dispenser comprising a container body which contains an article such as candy or chewing gum, a housing member which encompasses most of the container body, and a comic panel with a tab at the end attached to the container body. The comic panel is viewed when the tab is pulled and stored when the container body is rotated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to dispensers and more particularly to dispensers of sweets such as candy or chewing gum that provide a hidden function of retractably displaying an elongated flexible member with indicia such as a comic strip.

2. Description of Related Art

Distributing sweets to children is a huge and extremely competitive industry. Children are increasingly discerning when it comes to choosing the type of food they want as there are numerous options out there. One factor children use in determining which sweets to eat is the type of sweets. However, another factor children use in determining which sweet to eat is the presentation of the sweet which includes not only what the sweet looks like but also the packaging of the sweet.

However, traditional packaging such as simply wrapping a candy or chewing gum in a piece of foil or paper is not particularly attractive enough to the children. The children usually cannot see the candy or gum and furthermore there are not enough features in the candy packaging to attract the children to the candy or gum or the features they provide are not enticing to children.

Thus, as can be appreciated, there is a need for a dispenser of candy or gum that is enticing to children. The present invention fulfills this need as well as others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention packages sweets in a way that is more attractive to children by utilizing a dispenser with a comic panel attached to the dispenser. The sweets can include for example candy or chewing gum. The comic panel is preferably an elongated strip of material with some sort of indicia on it. The indicia can include but is not limited to comic strips, messages, picture, or removable labels. The removable labels can include but are not limited to characters, pictures, art, or advertisements. The messages for example can encompass a variety of text including but not limited to “Happy Birthday” or “Surprise!” Since children generally like reading or viewing materials, they will be attracted to the dispenser with the comic panel attached to it.

The invention is a dispenser comprising a container body which contains an article such as but not limited to confectionary candy or chewing gum, a housing member which encompasses most of the container body, and a comic panel with a tab at the end attached to the container body. Preferably the container body will be transparent so that children can see the candy contained inside. Also, preferably the container body is attached to the housing member such that the container body can rotate about its axis but has substantially no vertical movement.

To use the invention, the child will grip the housing member with one hand and then use another hand to pull the tab on the comic panel or the comic panel itself. The comic panel will then exit the housing member and be viewable to the child. The child can then, for example, enjoy viewing the comic panel while possibly eating the candy contained inside the container body. After the child is done enjoying the comic panel or eating the candy or both, the child can store the comic panel by gripping the housing member with one hand and rotating the container body with another hand. The comic panel is prevented from completely entering the housing member by the tab attached to the comic panel. This allows the child to retrieve the comic panel for reading at a later time.

In an alternative embodiment, the comic panel is attached instead to the housing member. Now the child will grip the container body with one hand and then use another hand to pull the tab on the comic panel. The comic panel will then exit the housing member and be viewable to the child. The child can then, for example, enjoy viewing the comic panel while possibly eating the candy contained inside the container body. After the child is done enjoying the comic panel or eating the candy or both, the child can store the comic panel by gripping the container body with one hand and rotating the housing member with another hand. The comic panel is prevented from completely entering the housing member by the tab attached to the comic panel. This allows the child to retrieve the comic panel for reading at a later time.

Furthermore, the dispenser can also have a closure member with a top lid and a bottom lid connected by living hinge on it which facilitates the opening and closing of the closure member. A living hinge is a hinge where a portion of the material is thinned out and when the material is still warm the material is bent at the thinned out portion. The top lid and bottom lid can also snap together to close the closure member. Also, the dispenser can have an optional decorative figure on the closure member to make the dispenser more enticing to children.

The comic panel preferably should be of a material capable of being permanently imprinted and is durable enough to withstand constant viewing and storage of the comic panel. In one embodiment, the comic panel can be comprised of various types of paper including but not limited to story paper. In another embodiment the comic panel can also be comprised of a material such as plastic or PVC.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser with a stored comic panel;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the dispenser with a stored comic panel;

FIG. 3 shows the two halves of the housing member combined to make the housing member;

FIG. 4 shows the comic panel with removable labels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention which set forth the best modes contemplated to carry out the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser with a stored comic panel 2. Although parts of the dispenser with a stored comic panel 2 can be constructed from plastic, it is contemplated that other materials can be used for all of the parts or some of the parts.

A container body 12 stores an article 28 such as candy or chewing gum. Preferably the container body 12 is transparent to show the article 28, cylindrical in shape, and elongated. The container body 12 is secured to a housing member 34 such that container body 12 is free to rotate within housing member 34 and extends beyond housing member 34 on one end of container body 12. Housing member 34 is comprised of a first housing member piece 16 and a second housing member piece 4. Housing member 34 also acts as a place for a first hand 60 to grip the dispenser with a stored comic panel 2.

Also attached to container body 12 is a comic panel 6 with a tab 8. Comic panel 6 is preferably an elongated strip of material with indicia on it. The indicia can include but is not limited to comic strips, messages, or picture. The messages for example can encompass a variety of text including but not limited to “Happy Birthday” or “Surprise!” Comic panel 6 exits the housing member 34 through slit 10 on housing member 34 when tab 8 is pulled for example by a second hand 62. Instead of pulling the tab, the user can also directly pull comic panel 6. Comic panel 6 can be returned to housing member 34 for storage when the second hand 62 rotates container body 12 while the first hand 60 grips the housing member 34. The comic panel 6 is prevented from completely disappearing inside the housing member 34 by tab 8 which preferably is bigger than slit 10.

To prevent the article 28 from escaping at an undesirable time, a closure member 32 is attached to the housing member 34 by a flange 22 and vertical protrusion 20 on the neck (not shown) of housing member 34. The flange 34 and vertical protrusion 20 on housing member 34 prevent the vertical axial movement and rotational movement by housing member 34. The closure member 32 comprises of a top lid 24 which is solid, a bottom lid 30, which has a hole in the center, and an optional decorative figure piece 18. The top lid 24 and bottom lid 30 can be connected, for example, by a living hinge 26. A living hinge is a hinge where a portion of the material is thinned out and when the material is still warm the material is bent at the thinned out portion. The top lid 24 and bottom lid 30 can also for example, snap together to close. When the top lid 24 is closed and secured to bottom lid 30, it covers not only the housing member 34, but also the container body 12.

Bottom plug 14 screws onto housing member 34 at the bottom of housing member 34 to help aid the first housing member piece 16 and the second housing member piece 4 remain connected while still allowing container body 12 to rotate. Container body 12 passes through the hollow center (not shown) of bottom plug 14.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the dispenser with a stored comic panel 2. In addition to the features of the invention shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 also shows the bottom plug 14 with a hollow center 40 to allow the container body 12 to pass through the bottom plug and also to allow the container body 12 to maintain full rotational capabilities. Bottom plug 14 also has grooves 36 which interacts with grooves 52 on the first housing member piece 16 and the second housing member piece 4 to keep the first housing member piece 16 and the second housing member piece 4 connected together. In addition there is a recess 38 in the bottom plug 14 to also aid in securing the first housing member piece 16 and the second housing member piece 4.

Both the first housing member piece 16 and the second housing member piece 4 also have a neck 44 where flange 22 and vertical protrusion (now shown) reside. Container body 12 has a flange 32 which is operatively attached to the housing member by being placed between flanges 56 and 58 on both the first housing member piece 16 and the second housing member piece 4 such that the container body 12 cannot move vertically but can rotate about its axis. When container body 12 is attached to the first housing member piece 16 and the second housing member piece 4 through flanges 56 and 58, the container body 12 resides within hollow center 46 within the first housing member piece 16 and second housing member piece 4 when combined together. Flanges 48 and 50 on both the first housing member piece 16 and the second housing member piece 4 serve to prevent the comic panel 6 from being displaced when it is entering or exiting housing member 34 through slit 10.

FIG. 3 is a side view of first housing member piece 16 and second housing member piece 4 which combine together to form housing member 34. As can be seen, both first housing member piece 16 and second housing member piece 4 have flanges 22, 56, 58, 48, and 50, neck 44, slit 10, hollow center 46, and grooves 52. Also, one of the first member piece 16 or second member piece 4 will have a vertical protrusion 20 (not shown in first member piece 16 or second member piece 4) as shown in housing member 34.

FIG. 4 shows the comic panel 6 with a tab 8. On the comic panel 6 are removable labels or stickers 64 and can have a self adherent rear surface to enable removable securement to support surfaces. Thus, a child can decorate various support surfaces with selected stickers 64. The removable labels 64 can include but are not limited to pictures, characters, art, or advertisements.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the amended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. 

1. A dispenser with a stored comic panel comprising: a container body for storing an article; a comic panel operatively connected to the container body; a housing member operatively attached to the container body; and a closure member operatively attached to close the container body to retain the article wherein a user can pull a first portion of the comic panel to remove it from the housing member for a viewing mode by the user.
 2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the container body is movable relative to the housing member to store the comic panel adjacent to the container body.
 3. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein the container body can be rotated within the housing member and is attached to a second portion of the comic panel to wrap the comic panel about the container within the housing member for a storage mode.
 4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein the container has a cylinder configuration and one end of the cylinder extends from the housing member wherein the user can hold the housing member and relatively rotate the extended cylinder end for retracting the comic panel into the housing for the storage mode.
 5. A dispenser comprising: a transparent container body for storing an article wherein the article is visible to a user; an elongated strip of material containing indicia with a first portion and a second portion operatively connected to the container body at the second portion to wrap the elongated strip of material about the container body during a storage mode and to prevent the elongated strip of material from completely escaping the housing member during a viewing mode; a tab connected to the first portion of the elongated strip of material; a housing member operatively attached to the container body; and a closure member operatively attached to close the container body to retain the article, wherein the user can rotate the container body within the housing member to wrap the elongated strip of material about the container body for the storage mode, and the user can pull the first portion of the elongated strip of material or the tab to remove the elongated strip of material from the housing member for the viewing mode.
 6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein the article consist of candy or chewing gum.
 7. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein the transparent container body has a cylinder configuration and one end of the cylinder extends from the housing member.
 8. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein the indicia is comprised of material consisting of plastic or paper.
 9. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein the indicia in the elongated strip of material is a comic strip.
 10. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein the indicia in the elongated strip of material consists of a text message, pictures, removable labels of pictures, removable labels of art, removable labels of advertisements, removable labels of characters.
 11. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein the closure member comprises a top lid and a bottom lid to further contain the article wherein the top lid and the bottom lid are connected by a living hinge.
 12. The dispenser of claim 11 wherein the closure member has a decorative figure attached to it.
 13. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the first member and second member snap together to close the lid.
 14. A dispenser comprising: a transparent container body for storing an article wherein the article is visible to a user; a housing member operatively attached to the container body to provide relative rotation; an elongated strip of material containing indicia with a first portion and a second portion wherein the second portion is operatively connected to one of the container body and the housing member; a tab connected to the first portion of the elongated strip of material; and a closure member operatively attached to close the container body to retain the candy; wherein the user can rotate one of the housing member and the container body to store the elongated strip of material in the housing member for a storage mode and the user can pull a first portion of the elongated strip of material to remove it from the housing member for a viewing mode.
 15. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the article consists of candy or chewing gum.
 16. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the indicia is comprised of material consisting of plastic or paper.
 17. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the transparent container body has a cylinder configuration and one end of the cylinder extends from the housing member.
 18. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the indicia in the elongated strip of material is a comic strip.
 19. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the indicia in the elongated strip of material includes one or more of a text message, pictures, removable labels of pictures, removable labels of art, removable labels of advertisement, and removable labels of characters.
 20. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the closure member comprises a top lid and a bottom lid to further contain the article wherein the top lid and the bottom lid are connected by a living hinge.
 21. The dispenser of claim 20 wherein the closure member includes a decorative figure.
 22. The dispenser of claim 20 wherein the top lid and bottom lid are configured to snap together to close. 